Cut Down Lee Enfield

Article about: I am still 100% certain that this was a RE modified weapon. The fact that the picture is taken in the Hill 60 museum where mining was at its peak would back this up. Sappers cut them down be

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

Could it possibly be a test action, ie, to test components are servicable. I know SKN actions were used to see where problem lay, like magazine feed, extraction or bolt head problems etc. but I dont think SKN actions existed at this time (I'm no expert so not 100% on this).

I also found my reference to the trench morter igniter and although it looks similar, it dosnt have a magazine, it has a blank fitted.

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

I would agree that it may have been used as a close quarter weapon.

I would hazard a guess though, that it might have been made by a troop that was just bored, and wanted to see it something like that could fire. That would have taken some time to make.
Maybe the troop just wanted to make something to set himself apart from the rest of the unit with an irregular piece of kit.

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

Hi,
I think this will be a hard one to sort out, i for one would not like to
have fired that thing in a closed area such as a trench ect.
The recoil alone would put you on your arse, and as said before a broken wrist. and God forbid a breach explosion, I cant see any
O.R, being alaud to use that weapon, there is a case in w.w.1,
where a sgt, used his rifle to block a trench to hold up the enemy,
he was court marshaled and shot for lose of his weapon.
Dave.

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

This is what I read from a website.... I have no idea if this is true.

There was a little known series of battles fought along the Western Front in WWI underneath the trenches and “nomans” land. It was here that British Sappers and German Pioneers (many of whom were miners in their civilian lives) dug “Saps” under the enemies trench line. These were then filled with explosives and detonated during large attacks, collapsing large sections of the trench line and killing hundreds of enemy soldiers. Both sides knew that the other side was digging and took steps to stop them. Soldiers would listen for digging sounds to locate the enemy and would dig counter saps, their goal to get inside their tunnel, kill them and destroy their sap. This resulted in small, intense engagements in restricted quarters. Fighting was often hand to hand with shovels, picks, trench knives and cut down rifles such as this.

Re: Cut Down Lee Enfield

by Lt. Martin

This is what I read from a website.... I have no idea if this is true.

There was a little known series of battles fought along the Western Front in WWI underneath the trenches and “nomans” land. It was here that British Sappers and German Pioneers (many of whom were miners in their civilian lives) dug “Saps” under the enemies trench line. These were then filled with explosives and detonated during large attacks, collapsing large sections of the trench line and killing hundreds of enemy soldiers. Both sides knew that the other side was digging and took steps to stop them. Soldiers would listen for digging sounds to locate the enemy and would dig counter saps, their goal to get inside their tunnel, kill them and destroy their sap. This resulted in small, intense engagements in restricted quarters. Fighting was often hand to hand with shovels, picks, trench knives and cut down rifles such as this.

Everything that is quoted here, is well known, and documented except for the bit in bold, that'll be the first time I have ever heard of cut down rifles being used by the "clay kickers" After all, they did have 455 webley's to use, less re coil and that would cause just as much damage